THE RELUCTANT PRINCE
by ULYFERAL
Summary: Dark Kat is dead and they think they are in the clear but the SWAT Kats, Feral, Manx, Callie, and Dr. Sinian find themselves thrown into a truly weird situation and Feral knows more than he's willing to tell about it. Chapter 1 completely rewritten.
1. Chapter 1

**THE RELUCTANT PRINCE**

Chapter 1: The Unexpected Return Home

"Dark Kat nearly got all of us this time, buddy," T-Bone grunted, wincing in pain as he moved his shoulder wrong while piloting the Turbokat out of the danger zone they had left behind them.

"At least the bastard is finally dead," Razor muttered darkly, blood dripping from a nasty slice on his forehead and still shaken at how close they had all come to death.

What disturbed him and T-Bone the most was Dark Kat had managed to kidnap the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Dr. Sinian with absolutely no one knowing about it for more than two hours. The reason was the big league omega had not requested a ransom nor gloated about his coup to anyone which was very unusual.

It was sheer dumb luck that one of Feral's operatives working undercover at a munitions factory had overheard the plot from a couple of low level minions. The operative was trying to find out who was systematically stealing parts from this plant despite its heightened security. He had broken cover and immediately reported to the Commander that he now knew who was responsible for the thefts and that a kidnaping had occurred.

When the two minions were brought into custody and squeezed during interrogation, it was learned they had never been to Dark Kat's new digs and had no idea why their leader had taken those particular hostages. Frustrated, Feral launched a massive search.

Feral hadn't liked it but when the SWAT Kats had learned of Callie's abduction and insisted on being part of the rescue team, he reluctantly agreed and gave them a section of the city to search.

The kathunt had begun just after two in the afternoon, some six hours after the kidnapings had occurred. By ten that night, the searchers had covered three-quarters of the city but found no sign of Dark Kat.

It wasn't until dawn was peeking over the horizon they finally got a break. The SWAT Kats had gone home to refuel and when they headed out again, they decided to fly over the desert where their targeting range was located. Razor had decided to look here first before going on toward the distant mountain range to search since Dark Kat had a penchant for hiding in caves there.

Well it wasn't mountain caves he'd chosen this time but a sandstone castle hidden within the SWAT Kats very own targeting range. As the Turbokat was passing over the area, Razor had been peering out the window and spotted something out of place. Frowning, he called to his partner.

"T-Bone cut back over the section we just passed. I saw something amiss."

"What'ja see, Razor?" His partner asked as he turned the Turbokat and began a pass over the area again.

"I'm not sure...wait....slow down and go to VTOL....now....."

T-Bone put the jet on VTOL and they hovered over the farthest end of their obstacle course. This area was honeycombed with caverns, deep crevasses, and caves carved from sandstone by the winds. It had also been turned into a crystal wonderland briefly by the altered Rex Shard a year ago.

Razor dropped his x-ray scanner below the body of the jet and toggled it up and down to allow him to view the area more deeply.

"Crud! The bastard!" He suddenly hissed in shock.

"What is it? What do you see?" T-Bone demanded, wishing he could see what had his friend so upset.

"Dark Kat!" Razor spat. "That asshole found a pocket that didn't clear of crystal when Rex Shard went back to normal. It's a natural, deep cavern and its lined with that special crystal making it impervious to the winds. He's set up a complete operation in there."

"Crud!" T-Bone growled angrily. "Should we give them a warm welcome?"

"Won't work!" Razor said flatly. "Remember how difficult it was to break that crystal? No, we have to get help with this if we want to get Callie and the other's out alive.

"Ah, Razor.....I just know where you're going with this and I hate it already," the tabby complained bitterly.

"Can't be helped, buddy. Too much is at stake!" Razor said uncompromisingly, picking up his radio and making a call. "The SWAT Kats calling Feral! Urgent you respond!"

It took several minutes but a gruff, irritable voice rumbled over the speaker, "what do you want, SWAT Kat? We're busy here!"

"Yeah, well stop what you're doing and bring everything you've got to the desert region, south by southwest. We've found Dark Kat but it's going to be really difficult getting him out of the hole he's managed to find for his hideaway. Find something that can break crystal, like the stuff Rex Shard was able to make......either sound wave makers or high vibration devices. We'll back off so we aren't seen and wait for you," Razor briefed him quickly.

There was shocked silence over the line for a moment then..... "Kat's Alive!.....Be there as fast as we can. Out!" Feral cut the connection. Razor had heard him shouting orders when his voice cut off.

"T-Bone, head up! We'll stay high enough to keep from being seen until Feral and his troops get here," Razor ordered.

Without a word, T-Bone added lift to the Turbokat's turbines and they sailed silently upward for more than twenty miles then stopped. It took Feral over an hour to reach that part of the desert and he had played it smart. The ground troops were coming in at an oblique angle so their engines would not vibrate the ground nor the noise reach their intended target.

As for Feral's squadrons of jets and choppers, they came in at the same high altitude where the Turbokat waited. He had his jets take up a circle pattern above the SWAT Kat's position and his choppers just below as he, himself, came close to the jet and held position in his chopper.

Razor pointed out where Dark Kat's lair was hidden. A quick powwow of strategies were discussed and tossed out before they came upon a desperate plan. The next two hours would end up being a nightmare.

They had decided Feral, a handpicked group of black ops enforcers, and the SWAT Kats would go in on foot to check out the lay of the land first.

The SWAT Kats parked their jet some miles from Dark Kat's hideaway with Feral and several choppers landing nearby. They disembarked and walked to the Turbokat. As they watched the cargo door opened and their eyes widened at the sight of a slick looking disk floating out from the interior and down to the sand before them.

"Climb aboard the Hoverkat!" T-Bone called to them, landing the craft so they could load.

"Interesting vehicle and perfect for sneaking up on that crud!" Feral admitted unwillingly as he admired the craft while his troops climbed aboard.

"We think so!" Razor smirked.

T-Bone sent the craft racing ahead at its max speed, sand spraying up behind them as the landscape passed by in a blur. Though he was on the ground, T-Bone was still familiar with the terrain and took them through the narrow pathways without slacking his speed, causing more than one officer to curse at just how close the SWAT Kat got to the walls of the canyon.

When they were close to their target, T-Bone slowed the Hoverkat down and cautiously approached the area. It wasn't long before Razor's sharp eyes spotted a creepling on a ledge over looking a massive cave entrance and hissed a warning.

T-Bone quickly sent the Hoverkat into a sandstone cave he'd spotted nearby, floating carefully into it, landing then shutting down the engines.

"This should be a safe enough place to leave it for a fast get a way when we've rescued the prisoners," T-Bone told them in a low voice as everyone disembarked.

The next thirty minutes was bloody and hard fought. They had indeed managed to sneak into Dark Kat's stronghold without being seen. After Feral and T-Bone had killed the creepling sentries at the entrance, they spread out and moved among the huge sandstone formations that graced the entry point until they reached the crystal heart of the 'castle'.

It wasn't as big as they feared but was large enough for what Dark Kat had in mind which was making yet another bomb to destroy not only Enforcer Headquarters but city hall as well. He had kidnaped the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to force them to watch the city be nearly destroyed then declare him leader. Dr. Sinian had simply been an unintentional snatch.....truly being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The rescue team had managed to slip close enough to come upon Dark Kat's work area and be there in time to overhear his plans. The prisoners were chained to a section of the crystal walls nearest Dark Kat's huge monitor which was dark at the moment....explaining how they managed to sneak in so easily. That being on would have ended the rescue before it had even started.

The poor prisoners were forced to listen as Dark Kat waxed lyrically about his plans to finally take over the city. Studying them, the hidden group could see that, except for a few scrapes, bruises and claw marks from the creeplings, the three appeared to be unharmed so far.

Razor whispered that Dark Kat was nearly finished with the bomb they could see sitting in a pit a few feet from them and being worked on by ninjas and creeplings. The smaller SWAT Kat warned they couldn't wait any longer to rush Dark Kat and rescue the prisoners.

Feral agreed and called the charge. He and his men rushed forward from their various positions to zero in on Dark Kat and his ninja minions while the SWAT Kats dealt with the creeplings and rescued the prisoners.

Half the black ops team died as did more than half the ninjas. The creeplings had been quickly dispatched by the SWAT Kats who also succeeded in freeing the hostages which effectively ended the battle. However, Dark Kat had tried one last attempt to launch his missile but was killed instantly by a falling sandstone spire that had been severed from the ceiling by a well placed octopus missile.

As the dust settled and all stared at the now dead omega pinned to the cave floor suddenly the ground rumbled and cracks began appearing in the walls around them. Not knowing why it was happening, the group hustled the former hostages out of the cave at a run. At one point, T-Bone had to carry Callie because her shoes were no good at running in sand as they all raced for the hidden Hoverkat.

Depositing Callie in a seat and advising her to buckle up, T-Bone hurried to the driver's seat and engaged the engines as the rest of the group piled in. When everyone was secured, he carefully backed them out then shifted the Hoverkat into high speed, navigating the canyon with terrifying skill that had the Mayor crying in terror and Ms. Briggs keeping her eyes closed and praying while behind them there came the alarming sounds of rocks crashing.

Reaching the Turbokat, Razor signaled the cargo door to open and when they got close enough, T-Bone simply flew them inside. There was no time for the enforcers to go to their own planes. As they settled into seats, the SWAT Kats rushed up the ladder to the cockpit where T-Bone quick started the jet, launching from the ground fast enough to flatten everyone with a lot of g's.

When he thought they were far enough away, T-Bone pulled back on the power and they all sighed in relief. Feral called to his circling forces and got a report that huge plumes of dust could be seen where the caves were collapsing.

He ordered them to return to base then relaxed as the Turbokat cruised at a more gentle speed back to the city. Both passengers and the crew above recapped what happened, thinking the worst was over when suddenly a ripple of intense vibrations shook the jet hard.

"What the hell is happening?" T-Bone shouted as he struggled to hold onto the yoke and not lose control of the Turbokat as the jet surged forward without the benefit of its engines that whined at the force shoving it from behind.

"The crystal exploded behind us causing a sonic ripple effect which caught us," Razor shouted back, holding on for dear life.

"Crud, something's happening in front of us too!" T-Bone warned as he watched a kind of window appear in the air directly before them.

There was nothing he could do as the jet shot through the 'window'. However, as soon as they passed through it, the vibrations ceased instantly but the jet was still moving at a high rate of speed. Though badly shaken, T-Bone managed to slow the jet's speed gradually then brought it to a halt, going to VTOL so they could get their bearings.

"Where the hell are we?" Razor said in a hushed voice as he peered out his window.

"I don't know but it sure as heck isn't Megakat City," T-Bone breathed as he stared.

"What the devil were you two hotshots doing......" Feral growled, climbing up from below and poking his head into the cockpit area.

"The jolting was the crystal cave exploding and sending a sonic ripple at us which sent us here....wherever here is...." Razor explained, pointing out the window with an unhappy expression.

Frowning, Feral squeezed upward into the tight cockpit so he could see what Razor was talking about. His eyes widened in horror at what his eyes beheld.

"Kat's Alive! There's no way we could have gotten here......" his voice was hushed, a strange note in it that told Razor, Feral might have an idea where they were as impossible as that seemed.

"Familiar to you?" He asked in confusion.

"Unfortunately, yes!" Feral grunted, obviously no happier to be here than the rest of them were.

Below the jet a lush forest sprawled for as far as the eye could see with trees of a strange type and taller than anything they'd seen before. Standing tall some distance away was a stone castle of some kind and below it lay a rather large community consisting of simple but elegant homes, streets, markets, and farms surrounded by a high wall of stone. Huge gates at two different points could just been seen from their high perch.

What they could see of the people here they seemed normal except for the varied colored sets of wings they all sported which told them they were definitely not on their world anymore. This high up, there was no way to know if the inhabitants were friendly or not.

"Where the heck are we and are those people going to be hostile to us?" T-Bone asked no one in particular.

Razor eyed Feral questioningly. The Chief Enforcer seemed reluctant to speak at all but finally said in a tight voice, "they don't like strangers and will attack any who approach without prior authorization from the king that rules here. I strongly suggest we get away from here....now!"

Surprised but not willing to waste time asking more questions, T-Bone quickly took the jet off VTOL and was just making the switch to forward motion when all the functions on the Turbokat went dead.

"What the hell?!!! T-Bone shouted as the jet began to plummet toward the ground. He pushed engine restart button several times while Razor frantically searched for the reason the jet had lost all power.

Feral clung to Razor's seat as the jet continued to fall at an alarming rate of speed as T-Bone cursed and continued to try and coax the engines to restart while screams of terror and curses of dismay could be heard coming from the cargo hold, adding to the chaos.

However, just before the jet could pancake on the ground, it halted with a teeth jarring jolt just a few miles above the tallest tree. Before they could recover, the jet was moved by some invisible force forward a short distance until it was above a clearing then it began to descend again but at a slower rate of speed.

Guessing they would be landing whether they wanted to or not, T-Bone lowered the landing gear and moments later, the jet settled smoothly on the ground. No one moved or said a thing for a long moment until, T-Bone noticed movement outside his window.

"Don't look now but we've got visitors! So what do we do now, Commander?"

Feral didn't respond at first as he watched a large group of what appeared to be kats with wings come out of the forest and walk up to the jet. They held strange weapons and had grim expressions on their faces.

Continuing to stare at the strangers, Feral growled, resignation in his voice, "We get out."

"What? Why can't we just stay in here until we find out what they want first? I don't like the odds if we just go out there without any kind of plan or deal in place," Razor objected strongly. T-Bone seconded that statement with a grunt.

Feral sighed, a look in his eyes told them he wasn't happy about going out there either. "You won't have a choice. Better to leave of our own free will rather than lose our only way back because, believe me, they can rip this jet apart to retrieve us."

The SWAT Kats stared at Feral in consternation. T-Bone would rather fight but it was becoming increasingly obvious that Feral knew a great deal about these creatures so they had no choice but to follow his lead.....for now!

One stipulation Razor did make was keeping the jet locked up tight and using the cargo side door to exit thereby ensuring no one would tamper with the jet while they were gone. Feral snorted at that since he'd already stated this species could take the jet apart if they wanted to but decided not to push the point since it would make them all feel a little more in control to know the jet would still be there even though he knew it was a false sense of security.

Bracing himself for facing the ones outside, Feral squeezed back down the ladder, followed by Razor then T-Bone. Feral took a moment to explain the situation to those in the hold. Manx wanted to demand answers or he wouldn't budge.

"Then they will drag you out.....your choice Mayor Manx.....however, I wouldn't recommend it. Now we must disembark before they get impatient and come in to get us," Feral said flatly.

Not being able to argue with that, Manx subsided and waited miserably as Razor signaled the door to open. Feral led the way, followed by Ms. Briggs, Manx, Dr. Sinian, then three healthy enforcers aiding two injured ones with the SWAT Kats bringing up the rear.

As they stepped down the ladder, they could see the strangers had formed a half circle around the door, preventing any escape as they watched with hostile eyes while the passengers climbed out to stand before them. Razor quickly signaled the door closed before anyone unwanted could enter.

They stood tightly grouped together and waited for the strangers to make the first move. A big, powerful tom wearing a colorfully decorated shirt was apparently the leader who pushed his way through the circle and stared at them for some minutes then suddenly sang out apparent orders to his soldiers.

His voice was a pleasant tenor and it was obvious this was their spoken language. It sounded strange to their ears not because it was sang but because it was totally unfamiliar. Dr. Sinian listened in awed fascination. To hear a totally new language was an incredible find for her. She wondered where it had originated from.

The others weren't as interested in the fact this was a new language as they were about what the leader was saying. His song ended abruptly followed immediately by several of his soldiers making an unmistakably aggressive move toward them. The SWAT Kats immediately took a defensive posture but before something bad could happen Feral suddenly spoke.

From his throat the same musical language poured out. His deep baritone voice was beautiful to hear as he 'spoke' to the leader in clear ringing tones. The moment the first notes left his lips, the soldiers froze in their tracks, completely stunned and as Feral continued to sing, they suddenly dropped to their knees and bowed to him. The leader didn't, but bowed his head as an obvious sign of respect. Feral finished 'speaking' and waited for the leader's response.

The leader immediately sang a short stanza that brought his soldiers to their feet and standing at attention. He sang another volley of words and the troop marched forward until they took up what looked like an honor guard formation on either side of the Megakat group. Turning from his soldiers, the leader pointed toward the castle in the distance and sang an urgent sentence to Feral.

Feral sighed and nodded then sang a response back before turning to his own group. His face was grim as he said quietly, "they were going to treat us like prisoners but I made them realize we are much more important than that so we are to be treated as guests and taken before the king of this land. We are to follow them to the castle. His officers will help our wounded."

Two soldiers came forward and firmly but carefully took over the duties of helping the wounded and soon the Megakat group were being urged along through the forest at a brisk pace.

Manx moved close to Feral and hissed anxiously, "You've got a lot of explaining to do Feral. Not only do you know their language but they apparently know you very well!"

"I know!" Feral grunted back not willing to say more right now.

"Well, we've apparently got a long walk ahead of us, Commander, so why don't you enlighten us?" Callie demanded, eyeing their guards warily.

Feral shook his head. "I'll tell you later when we're alone. Not with all these ears about."

"What difference does that make. They don't speak our language," T-Bone growled irritably.

The Commander gave him an aggravated look. "They may not speak our language but believe me, they most certainly do understand yours perfectly."

"Huh? How?" T-Bone demanded, surprised.

Feral shook his head firmly again. "Later!"

"I find it very odd that you're so familiar with these people and that you can speak their language with apparent ease, Commander. By their reaction you are much more than a visitor......almost like someone very important to them," Sinian remarked carefully.

"Yeah, bowing sorta gave that away, so just who are you to these guys? Right this minute, I'm finding it hard to trust you so how about giving us something? I don't like being in the dark like this, it makes me dangerous and antsy!" Razor growled warningly.

Feral rumbled another annoyed growl before turning his head to address them. All eyes were staring at him with varying looks of confusion, anger, suspicion and fear. Tamping down his own rising anger and fear, he realized he had to tell them something so they wouldn't do something foolish just because they didn't trust him. They didn't realize just how precarious their situation was and he didn't want any of them to suffer harm or worse.

"Listen to me closely! If you want to get out of here alive, you must obey my every command, don't speak, guard your conversations until you're sure no ones listening, don't react with violence no matter what the provocation and above all don't get separated. I will keep you safe as long as you stand by me at all times while we're here."

"Why the heck should we believe you?" T-Bone snarled, getting steamed which made the guards around him tense.

"Because I'm the long missing heir to the throne of Crysalis."

"Uh.....did you say heir to the throne.....you mean as in you're a prince?" Razor blurted in shock.

"Yes!"

Mayor Manx choked and his eyes bugged out. "You're royalty?" He squeaked.

Feral's face twisted with a mixture of loathing and helpless grim amusement. "You could say that......and it's the very reason I left.....I had no desire to remain here and become the next king."

"Wow! Talk about running from your responsibilities," Razor said caustically.

"Stuff it, SWAT Kat!" Feral snarled angrily. "You know nothing about me nor my reasons for leaving!"

"Well, I'd certainly like to hear this story," Callie interrupted.

He gave her a dark look filled with pain and anger. "No you wouldn't," he said coldly then turned away making it plain the conversation was over.


	2. Chapter 2

**THE RELUCTANT PRINCE**

Chapter 2: Leaving Home and Returning?

"If he's the prince of this place where are his wings?" Feral heard T-Bone hiss to his partner.

"Just one more of those questions we'll have to wait for an answer to," his partner answered, sourly.

Feral grimaced, clearly feeling eyes burning holes in his back, but he refused to turn around and speak with them again.

'Why the hell did this have to happen? I was resigned to never seeing my home again but now I'm back and I dread seeing what has happened to my home in my absence. Is my father still alive after all this time or have my people been taken over completely?' He paused in his reverie to study the soldiers at his sides. 'No, they appear to be fairly healthy and happy and they certainly recognized me easily enough so apparently they managed to keep their land....maybe....I guess I'll just have to wait and see,' he sighed unhappily.

Unbidden, his mind drifted back to that terrible moment when he made a fateful decision to force his father's hand by running away and ended up being missing for more than twenty years.

_A huge meeting hall filled with soldiers and an angry king sitting on his throne.......the sun shone through a high window mocking the pain and anger on display under its softly glowing brightness._

"_Have you no shame? Your departed mother would be very upset with you if she could hear you defying your king this way! We need this alliance and you will do your royal duty by it!" King Solarius' shouted song soared with fury, his face purpling, his wings spread wide. _

"_I cannot comply! This alliance is wrong, father! Only you do not see it and continue to try and shove it down your subject's throats. They do not want it!" A young dark tom sang back, his deep baritone voice just coming into its own vibrated with barely restrained fury, fists clenched, gold wings tipped in black quivering as he desperately tried to contain his own rising temper. _

"_The Janorians want only to take over our land and push us out into the cold. With this joining you wish to force on us, they will be that much closer to succeeding! Your own council sees the disaster this decision will bring! Please listen to reason I beseech you!"_

_The King's eyes nearly glowed with his unbridled fury. His kitten......the prince.....dared to continue his defiance toward his father's wishes. This alliance with their far neighbor, the Janorians was necessary. The death of his Queen had caused serious disruption of the court which their enemies used to begin ripping at Crysalis' borders, kidnaping subjects, stealing food, and burning fields. _

_King Solarius was forced to set aside his intense grief and deal with the marauders. This began the war that continued to this day some four years later, with ruinous results. The kingdom was squeezed tightly on all sides forcing the King to seek alliances elsewhere to save them all. Some of those alliances had been good ones but this one with the Janorians was fraught with terrible danger. _

_The prince had fought in this war since he came of age shortly after his mother's death and he was hardily tired of it. He and others of his generation wanted it to end so they could raise their families in peace once more but it seemed the King was hellbent in plunging them into even more trouble. Some thought it was his way of dealing with the loss of his Queen. Theirs was a love affair that was deep and true. When she died suddenly without warning, the King howled with anguished pain and was inconsolable for weeks. _

_Rumors had it the Queen had been assassinated but there was no evidence of that. But it didn't stop people from talking. Her death had been far too sudden and without explanation. Then the war began and the constant fighting was dwindling the population of Crysalis steadily since._

_The prince and others, some on the council, agreed something had to be done to end this constant state of siege they were under. The King thought the solution would be to wed his son to the daughter of the Janorian Kingdom. The strong alliance would finally put an end to the war, he hoped._

_However, his subjects as well as his son all objected. They were suspicious of the Janorians and they had a right to think so. In their recent past, the Janorians had more than once tried to take other kingdoms including Crysalis. The Janorians professed to have 'cleaned up' their act and wanted to 'mend' their relations with the other kingdoms but no one believed them. _

_King Solarius was furious at the resistance he was receiving especially from his son. Ulysses insisted an alliance with his mother's people was the better and more trustworthy way to save their people and end the war. Solarius scowled angrily down at his son as he dismissed that suggestion without further thought. He had never gotten along with Regina's family and with her gone, he had no reason to strike up any kind of dialog with them any longer. _

_And thus began this incessant arguing with his son! It was not to be borne! He refused to allow this dissension to continue.....his will would prevail!_

"_Enough! I will not be deterred from my chosen path. For the benefit of our people's future, you will wed the daughter of King Dorn. Until the arrangements and the treaty can be set up, you will be confined to your rooms. Guards! Take my son to his quarters, now!" The King ordered flatly._

_Shocked, Ulysses put up no defense against his father's stunning order as he was politely urged out of the throne room by his own personal guard. _

_He had prayed his father would see reason when he learned how much his own people objected to his plans but what he'd just done to his own son proved how far the King had fallen since the death of his beloved mate. _

_In his quarters, Ulysses paced around in agitation. This just couldn't go on, but what could he do now? He'd tried everything he knew to get his father to listen to reason but the King simply didn't care what he or his own council thought._

_Unbearably sad and dismayed, the young prince went to his window and stared out over their kingdom. It was beautiful here and the thought of it being under Janorian rule made him sick at heart. He had truly hoped he could get through to his father this one last time but it was no use. His father had lost his mind to grief, Ulysses was certain, because Solarius would never have bowed to the arrogant wishes of such an evil leader like King Dorn, normally. That left him with only one option....to carry out a back up plan he had fervently hoped he wouldn't have to resort to because the results could still be disastrous for his people._

_But his father's adamant stance forced Ulysses' paw.....there was no longer any choice. Sighing deeply, he stared blindly out the window. Though this was the only option he had left, the idea of it hurt terribly. He only hoped his absence would force his father to accept the alternative he'd tried so hard to push for....make peace with his mother's people._

_Nightfall seemed to take forever arriving but at the same time arrive too soon. He found himself feeling very nervous and knotted up with tension. When his dinner arrived, he found it hard to muster up the small smile and nod of appreciation for the meal the chef presented him. His stomach objected to eating at all but he knew he would need the calories for the time to come so forced himself to eat all of it. _

_A few hours later, most all lights but small dim ones were put out, plunging the castle into its night cycle. As he prepared to leave, he wished he could say farewell to a few of his stalwart friends but knew he didn't dare for fear they would be punished. _

_It was nearly pitch dark outside, the double moons not due to rise for another couple of hours, leaving the only trace of light being the two constant burning lamps that glowed softly outside the castle entrance way. _

_Sighing sadly, he gave his room one last, lingering look under the dim light before pulling open the inner window to reveal the iron bars placed there when he was much younger to prevent him accidentally falling out of the window when he first learned to fly. _

_Unfortunately, no one thought to remove them as he grew older. This had suited his father well since it now insured his son was able to get fresh air but not leave. However, Ulysses was a clever kitten and had, some years ago, removed the bars then fit them into a metal frame which he placed back into the window once more with hidden hinges that would allow the whole thing to swing outward just like a window. _

_He'd done it as a lark to prove to himself he could do it, prodded by a dare from his best friend Demetrios who challenged him to find a way to escape his room without anyone knowing how he'd done it. He'd won a round of ale for his success and many an admiring look from the fems for his cleverness._

_He never dreamed his successful trick would allow him to leave his home perhaps forever. Shaking himself and focusing on the task at paw, he jumped to the frame then out into the night air. Flapping his wings he hovered outside his window long enough to close both so no one could guess he'd gone through this way, then turned and flew low until he was hidden by the orchard below his tower room, moving silently through the trees as he'd done often with his friends before reaching the high walls of the castle._

_Landing in a big tree just short of the wall, he waited and watched until the guards were passing each other going in opposite directions away from the spot where he hid, continuing on their rounds. Leaping from the tree he flew over the wall then disappeared into the forest on the other side._

_He'd thought to go to a neighboring, friendly kingdom to stay with a friend he'd met while fighting on the borders and wait there to see what would happen to his home in his absence. He would not stay long as he did not want his friend to get into trouble. Keeping on the move would allow him to stay out of sight of those that would come looking for him as well._

_At first, his plan seemed to work. He'd stayed in Kronos for more than a month. Reports reaching his ears told him, Crysalis was in turmoil as his father launched a massive hunt for him and the alliance was put on hold._

_But as time passed and there was no sign of Ulysses, King Dorn began to apply pressure on King Solarius to honor his promise even if he, himself had to wed Dorn's daughter. Solarius' response was a loud, resounding no.....disgust and anger gracing his face as he sent a refusal back. This, of course, only infuriated King Dorn who cried 'you are forsworn and our deal is off', immediately attacking Crysalis' borders.  
_

_Now his father was in worse trouble and Ulysses was beside himself with indecision. Should he return or stay away? If he went back, King Dorn could renew his demand that Ulysses marry his daughter. His father could well agree if only to stop the intensified battle that was draining his resources......or there was a slim possibility that his father would finally see reason and ask for Regina's family's assistance. _

_For days he tried to come to a decision then finally made up his mind that going home was the only choice he could make as he couldn't stand by and watch his father and his people suffer any longer under the Janorians attack. He prayed he wasn't making yet another bad decision.  
_

_He'd gone some distance from home so it would take him at last a week to return. Hoping to cut the time in half, Ulysses decided to take a very dangerous route over the mountains that was rumored to catch the unwary, making them disappear forever. But despite the risks, he knew he had to get home quickly. _

_It was dusk, when he made his attempt over the mountains. Suddenly, a burst of light and noise swept him up and spun him violently before spatting him out on unfamiliar territory._

_He blinked and stared around in confusion from his hovering position over a mountain peak. Everything looked different. The mountains were dark, rugged and bare, no forests clung to them. He flew down to the valley below and was further confused when he passed over lakes that hadn't been there before, a forest of trees much more stunted than the huge, soaring ones he remembered from home then the greatest shock of all.....the huge city hugging a bay with water that went on over the horizon._

_Where the hell was he? _

His mind snapped back to the present as a sudden burst of excited chatter broke into his reverie. Sighing, he noted they would soon be entering the gates of his former home and that was the cause for the burst of conversation behind him. He realized then, that he was too far ahead of his companions so slowed his steps. They were his responsibility now and he would not risk them getting harmed.

He couldn't help an inward twinge of guilt and frustration. He well remembered how he'd felt that moment on the mountain overlooking Megakat City how terrified he'd been to find himself in another dimension. It had taken him some time to accept he wasn't going to find his way home again and find a way to fit in with these similar but different people. It had been a long nightmare but he'd persevered and finally succeeded in making it his new home. Hiding his wings and never singing again, though, were the sacrifices he'd been forced to make to fit in.

But now he was back home again and he found himself bitterly divided. He had a new home now and responsibilities however, that didn't change the fact he had responsibilities to his people here as well.

He groaned inwardly and a headache was starting behind his eyes as he thought, 'Kat's Alive! What a mess!'


	3. Chapter 3

**THE RELUCTANT PRINCE**

Chapter 3: You Should Have Remained Lost!

The group was escorted through the huge gates. Feral looked around carefully, nothing seemed to have changed much as they were marched briskly through the city streets past people buying, selling, and working in various stalls that they passed. The people wore colorful clothing and their wings were just as varied in color. There were out cries of shock, surprise, and fear at the sight of the strangers.

His people looked well fed, clean, and healthy but there seemed to be a haunted look in their eyes as they hurriedly got out of the way of the guardkats. Gone was the normal look of respect and curiosity they usually gave visitors. In its place he saw fear. It was palpable enough that he could feel his fur rise from the stench of it. Something was seriously wrong.

Razor had been studying his surroundings for any signs of immediate danger as well as curiosity about the people. But he didn't fail to note the inhabitants behavior either as the guards pushed them back so their group could march unimpeded toward the castle. The people moved hurriedly out of the way, shooting looks of fear and worry not at the strangers as he'd first thought but at the guards themselves.

'What the heck was going on?' He wondered in concern. 'And does Feral see it as well?' A glance in the dark tom's direction showed him the enforcer was on full alert. 'Guess that answers that...he sees it and is reacting negatively which means this isn't normal. So something about his home is off and has him worried. That's just great! Bad enough were trapped here but that something is wrong as well means things are going to go badly for us,' he thought sourly. He turned to stare at his partner, waiting until T-Bone felt the attention on him which he did moments later and stared at Razor questioningly.

Razor glanced at Feral then at the guards with a meaningful look, telling his friend to study the situation a bit more closely. Frowning, T-Bone turned his attention to the enforcer for a long moment then flicked his gaze to study the guards. A grimmer expression crossed his face as he turned back to Razor, his lips thin with tension. T-Bone had seen the danger as well. The smaller SWAT Kat nodded his head infinitesimally then the two went on higher alert...they would not be caught by surprise.

Calico Briggs had her paws full trying to keep the Mayor calm but she didn't miss the feel of heighten tension around her which made her quickly glanced toward Feral then to the SWAT Kats on either side of her, all three were exhibiting signs of having been alerted to some new danger than the one they were presently in. She carefully looked around herself to see if she could spot what had provokes this response.

At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary for what was going on until she saw the reaction of a mother sweeping her kitten from the path of the guards. The she-kat turned away quickly, a look of fear on her face. Frowning, Callie didn't think they were that scary so she turned her attention to faces of the crowd watching them as she and her group were marched along.

She found to her surprise and dismay, the looks of fear and uneasiness were being directed at the guards, not her and the others. 'Why are they afraid of their own guardkats?' She thought unhappily, a suspicion forming in her mind. 'This is so not good! Fear of this kind usually indicates a tyrant ruler which means we're in far more trouble than being in the wrong dimension.'

Her thoughts were interrupted when they reached the huge doors that lead into the castle. Feral went stiff and hissed with shock at the sight of something hanging above them. She tilted her head up and saw a rather nicely down tapestry that had a knight with wings sitting aboard something that looked almost like a horse on a field of orange and black.

'Now why did that cause Feral such upset?' She wondered in worried dismay. The SWAT Kats hadn't missed Feral's behavior either.

'It can't be! The Janorians have taken my home!' Feral thought in angry horror and dismay.

They were forced up the steps and into the castle proper. Crossing the main entryway made of some kind of cream colored tile, they could see dressed brown stone walls covered with many more tapestries in the same theme as the one out front and swords crossed and mounted on the walls beside them.

They walked down a short hall and came out into a huge room with high arched beams of wood overhead, flags on staves around the room half way up the walls and a big ornate chair set on a raised area to the right of the room with huge draperies of red hanging on both sides from ceiling to floor which bracketed the chair. The chair was empty at the moment. Guardkats were stationed at intervals here on the floor and above, on a stone balcony that went around the circumference of the room.

The group was halted before that chair and made to wait. No one said anything. Feral was seething inside. No sign of his family's heraldry remained...all was from the Janorian usurper.

From a side door to the left of the fancy chair, males dressed in rich robes and grim faces entered, followed by one who wore a crown. They swept in then spread out to either side of the chair, the crowned male took a seat in it.

The male stared thoughtfully down at them. The King, for that was who he apparently seemed to be, was as tall as Feral and as broad. He was a reddish brown color with red tipped black wings. His clothing was a rich mahogany doublet with dark brown cape and pants. Black boots covered his feet.

After a lengthy silence the King sang in harsh tones, his voice not at all pleasing to the ear at the leader of the guards that had captured them. The leader's more modulated tones answered, obviously briefing him on what had happened.

But towards the end of his explanation, the King lunged to his feet and spat. He barked something in that same harsh song of his and pointed at Feral. Guards leaped to obey, grabbing the dark tom by both arms then shoving him to his knees to the hard floor.

Feral resisted at first, his eyes flashing fire and fury as he sang back in obvious defiance, _"Janarian bastard! How dare you take my father's throne! Where is my father? What have you done to him?_

The guards finally manage to wrest the powerful tom to his knees. Feral panted, his head tilted upward to glare hatefully at the King who was stepping down to stand before him.

Without warning, he fetched the dark tom a powerful blow that should have knocked Feral backward but he barely flinched and continued to glare defiantly back. The King grinned viciously and his tone was cold as he sang, _"Poor little princeling...returning to find all that you knew is gone must be quite the shock. Your father forfeited the crown when you disappeared and refused to honor the bargain we made. Now I hold your rich kingdom for __**my**__ father and you are cast out just as __**your **__father was. Think on that as you rot in your cell! Wherever you were, you should have remained lost!" _Turning toward his guards he barked, _"take them to the dungeons except for the females. I have other plans for them." _With an evil leer, the King headed out of the room toward the door he'd entered from.

Feral's eyes flashed in fury and he tried to lunge up from his kneeling position_. "They cannot speak our language and I am responsible for their safety. You will not touch them!" _He roared, his song so powerful and strong that it shook the room. The King never gave him a glance, though the councilors eyed him with surprise and pity as they hurried after the king, the two females being forcibly escorted behind them as several guards took control of Feral, yanking him to his feet and marching them in a different direction.

Callie and Abi cried out in surprise and anger when they were none too gently, yanked from the safety of the others and marched away. They looked back at their fellow Kats, beseechingly.

When the guards pulled the she-kats away, T-Bone and Razor realized instantly that the females were being separated from them. T-Bone twitched his arm in preparation to fire something but Razor hurriedly aborted his move with his paw and shook his head urgently.

Scowling in angry fury and shock, T-Bone glared at his friend then the opportunity to fight was gone and they were being hauled off by the guards to somewhere else in the castle. Manx was wailing in fright while the injured enforcers cursed angrily. Feral had no less than four guards manhandling him as they were dragged away from the throne room.

It was a long, forced march down torch lit stone stairs into a cold darkness. At the bottom, a big oak door was opened and they were shoved through. A line of cells met them as well as a big tom with gray wings and a war ax in his belt, a ring of keys in his paw as he eyed the new prisoners. He went ahead of the group and opened a cell at the end. Everyone was shoved in then the door was locked.

The cell was little more than a large stone room with a small window high up the wall. The floor was covered in filthy straw and rats were seen scurrying across the floor disturbed by their entrance. Manx fainted dead away but no one had time for his histrionics.

"Razor, why did you stop me?" T-Bone hissed, finally able to express his anger.

Razor eyed him tightly but turned away and confronted Feral who stood at the door, his back stiff with fury. "Is it safe to talk here?" He demanded, flatly.

Feral turned sharply and gave Razor a look of angry frustration. He heaved for breath as he tried to calm himself enough to talk. He felt sick inside. His home taken over by the Janorians...his father most likely dead...they were prisoners...even in the worst situations in Megakat City he hadn't felt this helpless before.

It took him some moments to realize Razor was still waiting for a response. His face so tight it hurt, he ground out, "Yes, it should be safe here, but keep your voices low."

Nodding, Razor lead the way to the back of the cell and squatted down. The others came to his side and did the same. The injured enforcers murmured a bit in pain, but managed to make themselves as comfortable as they could nearby and prepared to listen. Manx was still out cold.

Snorting in disgust, T-Bone patted the portly Kat's face a few times until Manx finally came around.

"Wha...what's happening..." he asked in a daze then saw the stone walls again. "Ahhh...we're prisoners!" His voice beginning to rise as he tried to scramble away.

T-Bone shoved him back down and pushed his face in the Mayor's terrified one. "Shut up! We don't want to draw attention to ourselves. Feral is going to explain what's going on so keep your mouth shut and no more panicking. We have no time for it and if you want to stay alive, you'll do what we tell you!" He growled threateningly.

Manx shrank into himself and nodded frantically. Satisfied, T-Bone released him and moved to seat by his partner. Manx shivered. He was out of his depth here and he knew it. Drawing his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them, he prepared to listen and try to stop his heart from galloping in fear.

Everyone turned their attention to Feral. Grimacing unhappily, Feral stood up and paced a moment. Scowling more to himself than to them, he reached up and almost violently pulled his great coat off and his tie. He stuffed the tie into a coat pocket then hung the coat on a big peg on the wall that held a set of nasty looking wrist restraints made of metal.

Then he appeared to do nothing for a long moment except to stare off into the distance. Before T-Bone or Razor could demand he stop keeping them waiting, Feral glowed softly at first then so brightly they couldn't see him before it faded instantly away.

When their eyes could focus again, they stared at Feral who looked the same, almost. Now there were a pair of huge golden wings with black tips rising out of his back, soaring past his shoulders and nearly touching the ceiling of their cell and reaching down to just a two inches short of his heels. His new look was capped by a pair of glowing eyes that lit the darkness of the cell.

"Wow! Now you do look like them!" T-Bone commented softly, shaking his head.

Feral just scowled unhappily. Speaking in harsh, clipped sentences, he told them of the war and why he had left then how he'd ended up in Megakat City.

"Since I couldn't find a way to return, I was forced to accept I was truly trapped. I found a way to use my magic to hide my wings and learned your ways so I might fit in. I succeeded at the cost of my song and wings. It was a harsh reality. Now that I've returned, I find the Janarians have taken over my father's kingdom and cast him out. I don't know if he's dead or alive nor how long this occupation has gone on. My people appear resigned to their fate which leads me to believe it has been a long time, perhaps years," his voiced faded, pain and sorrow edging it.

Everyone was silent for a long moment. T-Bone found himself sorry for Feral and angry at all that the tom had lost. No wonder he never seemed happy and was always so hot tempered. He doubted he would have been any different if they situations had been switched. Much of Feral's behavior was now explained. But where did that leave them now?

Razor voiced that thought aloud moments later. "So what do we do now? What will that creep do to Ms. Briggs and Dr. Sinian?"

Feral looked profoundly unhappy. "They will either be made bed slaves or married off to some of his generals. Their lives will be one of misery and pain."

T-Bone lunged to his feet, his fists clenched. "Then we have to get them free!"

"Good idea, SWAT Kat but we're trapped in here, remember? So how do you suggest we get them free?" Capt Freestar, one of Feral's non-injured officers, snapped sarcastically.

Razor was the one to answer before T-Bone could lose his temper further. "They never disarmed us which means they didn't recognize our weapons even though they did seem to know what your lasers were since they did take those." Razor paused as another thought came to him. "Feral, you said they could understand our language even though they can't speak it. How is that possible?"

"For the same reason I didn't have to learn it when I was trapped in your dimension. I wasn't the first to cross the barrier. Many times over the centuries, we got unexpected drop ins from your dimension. They were trapped here and had to make the best of it. They weren't allowed to breed with us because of the chance of kittens failing to have wings due to genetics. So the males were castrated and the females made sterile."

Everyone in the cell gaped at him in horror and disgust. One of his officers, blurted," that's barbaric! How could you do that to people who never did you any harm and were permanently lost here?"

Feral sighed and shook his head. "It wasn't done in cruelty. Our world is very hazardous and our wings are our way of remaining alive. You seem to think this is some fairyland with no real dangers but you would be wrong. The castle has these high walls for a reason. Pray you never see those reasons close up. Breeding with non-flyers could have had disastrous consequences both for the Kat and my people. It just couldn't be risked."

"Still sounds barbaric," the officer grumbled but subsided.

Razor redirected the conversation back to the issue of escaping. "Alright, so now we know to guard our words. So let's get to what we can do to free the females after we get out of here."

"And how is that going to be done exactly," Lt. Dunear asked anxiously, he was one of the injured enforcers.

Both Razor and T-Bone held out their arms. The glovetrix was plainly visible. Eyes lit up with hope but Feral's expression wasn't as hopeful.

"You can't just blast your way out of here..." he began.

"Of course not. That was why I prevented T-Bone from attempting it earlier. We need to know the layout, what's the best route to where the females might be kept, how do we get back to the Turbokat?...And you are the only one who can answer those questions, Commander," Razor interrupted.

T-Bone could have kicked himself for not realizing that. He was just glad his partner was always thinking ahead.

Instead of looking positive, Feral looked torn and upset. He moved away from them and stared out the bars of their cell. Razor had a suspicion he knew what was going through the tom's head.

He moved to stand close and murmured softly, "I know this must be very hard for you. Your first instinct is to find your father and try to save your people. Believe me, neither T-Bone nor I suggest we leave the situation as it is but you know we can't fight without information and to get that we must escape."

Feral closed his eyes in pain. The SWAT Kat was right. They had to get out of here. Taking a deep breath, he turned back around, giving Razor a brief nod to show he agreed with him, then gave the others his attention.

"I'll lead the way. You must obey my every command if you want to survive getting out of here," he said flatly, staring each person in the face. No one objected and all waited for what they would do next.


	4. Chapter 4

**THE RELUCTANT PRINCE**

Chapter 4: Making Allies

Callie and Abi didn't cry as their captors seemed to have expected them to. Which unsettled both the guards and the female's they'd been left with. Shaking their heads, the guards left, obviously thinking they were no threat and needed no real guarding, though there was no doubt a guard or two had been left outside the chamber.

Callie didn't think much of that mindset but understood it a little since her own males had a tendency to be over protective and think she-kats couldn't defend themselves well. She smiled secretly, amused by that false idea. It meant the males here would totally underestimate her and Abi if they found a way to escape because they would never expect them to try. She needed to find a way to speak to Abi alone so they could plan.

The females of the harem stared at the strangers. They were used to seeing kats without wings as the females were not the first to have appeared from beyond the veil. However, these two she-kats were different. They were upset by their capture but neither wailed nor acted panicky. No tears were being shed. Instead the pair eyed the winged females with interest and no one missed their watchfulness.

_"Why do they not cry and wail their plight as all the others have before them?"_ One sang softly to another.

_"I don't know. These two are very different. See how they watch us, study their surroundings, and say nothing except to trade meaningful gazes with each other," _the other observed in a low, contralto voice.

An older female stared at the pair of wingless females with narrowed eyes. _"They are strange. They bear watching so stay alert around them. Until they do or say something to us, we have no idea what's going through their minds. I must admit, however, they behave like noble fems rather than servants. It makes me wonder what they do for a living on their world,"_ she mused, thoughtfully, her singing voice had a deep, smoky quality to it.

_"They are certainly pretty...most likely why they were brought here..." _another sang.

Callie eyed the she kats staring and singing to each other as they studied she and Abi. It was obvious to her, this was some kind of harem as the females were dressed in revealing clothing and the room was rather over decorated with an eye to comfort and sensuality.

Their clothing were made of the sheerest material and in many colors. Chains of some kind of orange, colored, metal hung around their necks and waists. A medallion hung at the center of the necklaces and had the same symbol as was on the tapestry they'd seen entering the castle. She realized it was the symbol of the King which, from Feral's behavior, was a usurper to the original royal line that had been the Commander's.

She sighed and kept very close to Abi who was also studying their surroundings closely. Callie felt sorry for Feral. Something truly bad had happened while he'd been away. How long he'd been gone from his homeland and why he'd left, she had a feeling the guys were getting to find out while she and Abi were left in the dark.

Abi spoke for the first time since they'd been put in here some ten minutes ago. "I'm assuming we're going to be used as either slaves or handed off as the price for some deal the usurper needs to continue holding this kingdom. Wonder how long he's been in possession of the throne?" She asked curiously, more to herself than Callie.

"Wish we were still with Commander Feral. I'm guessing the guys are getting an update we could really use right now," Callie sighed, annoyed.

Abi glanced over at the deputy mayor. "I'm certainly with you on that. I feel so sorry for the Commander. It must be such a shock and anguish to him to find his father gone and this person in his place," she said shaking her head.

The older female's eyes widened in stunned surprise when she heard the wingless female's words. She excitedly spoke their language in song. _"The Prince is alive and has returned?"_

Callie and Abi stared at her in stunned surprise. Though the words had been sung, they clearly understood her.

The female rushed up to them, making them lean back and eye her warily._ "Speak! Has Prince Ulysses returned?"_

"Yes, but he was hauled away to your prison with the rest of our group," Callie said carefully.

The older female dropped to her knees, wrapped her arms around herself, and lowered her head to cry, singing a song that sounded both sad and joyful at the same time.

Concerned, Callie reached out hesitantly to the distraught female and touched her shoulder.

"I'm sorry to have upset you. Are you close to the prince?" She asked, trying to get some information.

The female's head came up, tears falling down her cheeks. _"He is my nephew,"_ she sang softly.

Callie gasped in surprise. "Really...I'm sorry. How long ago did he turn up missing?"

_"He was but a stripling youth of nineteen summers when he vanished in anger at my brother-in-law's decree that he marry the King of Janoria's daughter. Ulysses knew as did most of our people, that a marriage tie with that kingdom would mean the loss of who we are but our father was too grief stricken by the loss of my sister and the war that followed that he wanted peace at any cost. Though he hadn't spoken to me, I guessed Ulysses hoped to force his father to listen to the other allegiance, that of my family's people for help, but his father wouldn't hear of it. So Ulysses disappeared and never returned then the Janorians came in and took us over without much of a fight. We lost more than half our army, many of our noncombatants, and his father was taken prisoner,"_ the female sang sadly.

"Oh no, that's terrible. Is he still alive?" Callie asked, concerned.

_"We don't know. No one has seen him since,"_ Feral's aunt moaned. _"But now Ulysses is here...perhaps we can dare to hope for things to change..." _she sang, hesitantly.

Lowering her voice, Callie murmured, "your nephew is very brave and has several warriors with him. If there's a way, he and the two of the warriors with him, known as the SWAT Kats, will find a way out of this mess."

Feral's aunt stared in Callie's eyes searchingly. _"You sound certain of this...I wished I could have seen my nephew...do you know why he disappeared so long ago?" _She asked beseechingly.

"No, I'm sorry I don't. I only know he rose up the ranks of the enforcers to become our Chief Enforcer. He is the leader of our military forces that protect our city called Megakat. We have been plagued by super criminals over the past five years and he with his enforcers and the help of the SWAT Kats, have been able to keep our city safe. He is a formidable warrior." Callie told her proudly.

No matter what she might truly think of the Commander, his aunt deserved to hear how well her nephew had handled being stranded in their world and what he'd accomplished. She didn't need to know he and Callie were generally at odds with each other.

She sighed mentally. Now she better understood why Feral seemed so gruff, abrasive and aloof all the time. He must be terribly lonely being stranded for as long as he was living among people who were only vaguely like himself. And to be denied his song and wings...her heart clenched with sorrow. She had been horribly unkind to him but, to be fair, she simply didn't know.

Well she would rectify that now. Whatever she and Abi could do, they would help the Commander as well as the SWAT Kats in escaping and maybe helping these people. But to do that, she needed much more information. Her attention was dragged back by Feral's aunt.

_"At least he proved himself and is revered but I wish I knew why he never returned," _the female sang, sadly.

Callie gently patted the female's back. "I suspect he would have returned immediately, if he'd been able to but obviously, there was no way back except in the manner in which we got here this time...by accident."

_"I believe you are right. There have been many 'accidental' arrivals of your people to our world. I never truly thought that the reverse could certainly be true...it would certainly explain some of the disappearances we've suffered over the centuries as well,"_ the female sang, thoughtfully.

"Sounds quite logical to me and is probably the case," Abi joined the conversation for the first time.

The older female eyed her a moment. _"Forgive my lack of manners. I am called Princess Regina. May I ask your names and what you do in your world?"_ She asked politely, wiping her tears away with an embroidered handkerchief one of the other females gave her.

The other females came close and formed a circle around the newcomers, all listening intently.  
Abi studied them closely while Callie made the introductions.

"I am called Calico Briggs, Callie for short. I am the Deputy Mayor of Megakat City and this Dr. Abi Sinian, Curator of the Megakat Natural History Museum."

Regina stared at them in puzzlement. _"What do these titles mean?"_

Callie smiled lightly, "my title means, I am the elected, secondary leader for our city. Abi is responsible for maintaining and running the place that keeps all the artifacts of our past on display so the public is constantly reminded of our history."

_"Oh, a historian, perhaps?"_ Regina asked.

"Yes, but much more than that. However, for this purpose it's a good enough description," Abi said warmly.

Regina nodded, then looked at Callie, _"...and you hold a leadership position?"_

"Yes."

The princess eyed them in amazement. They were not royalty yet they were permitted to hold such important positions. It was astonishing. The other females around her were whispering in excited and amazed wonder.

_"I am honored to meet two such important females. Only royalty is allowed to hold any kind of important positions here if they are female so you are very usual to us," _Regina admitted.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised. Your males are a bit overbearing," Callie said archly.

Regina laughed, surprising herself. This she-kat was very perceptive. _"They are indeed."_

Callie thought a moment and looked around then leaned closer to Regina. "Your highness, pardon me if this seems rude, but would it be possible for Abi and I to speak with you in private and away from being overheard by the guards?"

Regina eyed her in surprise. Thinking about it for a moment, she looked around the room then came to a decision. She turned to her ladies and sang some instructions. The females looked both surprised and unhappy but did as asked immediately. They moved to form a small group before the only doors to the room from outside and began to sing some songs, do some knitting, and gossip.

Turning back to her guests, Regina signaled for them to follow her as she stood up and walked toward an archway to the left of the entryway. Through it, Callie and Abi discovered a tiled hallway that led to many rooms. All had open doorways covered with only fabric for privacy except for one which was a solid oak door. Regina opened this one and gestured for them to enter.

The room was only a little larger than Callie's living room in her apartment. There was an enormous wooden bed against one wall, a heavy armoire against another wall, a beautiful rug laying in the center of the room's floor, a small writing desk with a heavily cushioned chair was against the opposite wall and a small table with female toiletries and a mirror with a small stool sat next to the armoire. A fireplace was on the wall beside a large window that had bars across it. Before the fireplace were more cushioned chairs. She gestured for them to have a seat.

_"It is safe to speak here. This is the only privacy I'm granted because of my position in the deposed royal family,"_ she sang sadly.

"Even though very nicely decorated and comfortable, it is still a prison," Callie observed, quietly.

_"It is indeed," _Regina agreed. _"Now, what is it you wish to speak to me about?"_

"We need information so we can find a way to escape from here," Callie said, grimly.

Regina blinked in shock. _"You seriously think you can?"_ She sang in disbelief.

Callie leaned close. "I won't know until you provide us with answers to our questions. This is a tough place and we're not familiar with your ways but we will get out of here...I promise you!"

Eyeing the two she-kats thoughtfully, Regina asked, _"I have a strange feeling you two have been in tough spots before this?"_

"You'd be right, your highness."

'Wow! Maybe there is hope after all,' Regina thought in dazed amazement. _"I will pray you succeed then. Ask me what you want and I'll do my best to answer as thoroughly as I can."_


End file.
